Mat



Sept. 1936. l J, BEARD, JR 2,054,668

MAT

Filed Feb. 12, 1934 TOR.

Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATIENT oF lcE 3. Claims.

' This invention relates to floor coverings and particularly to mats adapted to be used under the legs of washing machines andother household devices which are susceptible to creeping or movement away from apredetermined set position.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a mat so formed that the washing machine can be readily moved thereon and then retained against shifting or creeping on the floor.

A further object is to provide a mat formed principally of rubber having pockets therein adapted to receive the casters on the bottoms of the legs of a washing machine or other household device to prevent such machine from moving away from a predetermined set position.

A further object. is to provide a molded rubber mat having portions formed to receive the casters mounted on washing machines and the like, and a relatively thin central portion connecting the caster-receiving portions.

Another object is to provide a molded rubber mat having caster-receiving portions formed with relatively thin outwardly extending edges and caster-receiving pockets therein, the walls of the pockets tapering outwardly to the edges.

Another object is to provide a molded rubber mat having. caster-receiving. pockets formed therein, the walls of the. pockets being shaped to snugly fit the peripheries of therespective casters.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain details of manufacture and construction, which will be apparent from the drawing and the detailed description to follow, the same being for the purpose. of illustration only and not as limiting the scope of the invention, the scope of which is to be measured entirely by the sub-joined claims.

In the drawing in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a mat having my invention incorporated therein adapted to support a washing machine having four legs.

Fig. 2 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, showing a mat formed for a washing machine having three legs.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2, the thickness of the mat being somewhat distorted to better illustrate my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2, the thickness of the mat being also distorted in this view to better illustrate the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the lines 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the body portion of the mat, the thickness being somewhatdistorted.

Fig. 6 isa plan view of a mat showing a slightly modified form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'i'-T of Fig. 6, showing the shape longitudinally of one of the caster receiving pockets.

Fig; 8 is anenlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 6, the same being substantially at aright angle to Fig. 7.

Fig'. 9- is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 9-9- of Fig. .6, showing the shape of the mat intermediate the caster-receiving pockets. 7

In power-driven washing machines and other household articles, considerable annoyance and d iiliculty has been encountered due to'the device creeping or moving away from a predetermined setposition- As such devices are usually used in basements where the floor is not perfectly level, the tendency for such devices to move about due to vibration set up in the maohine is greatly increased'oi'ten making it necessary to provid'e'blocks or wedges beneath the casters to prevent such movement. I have eliminated the di fiiculti es heretofore encountered by providing a mat having caster-receiving pockets formed therein into which a machine can be moved with relative ease and which will support the machine against creeping or slipping even if the floor is not level.

Referring to the drawing in detail and particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, I have provided' a mat indicated generally by the numeral f and having a body or web portion H and caster-receiving portions 12. As such mats are usually made from molded rubber, the body or webportion I I is preferably thicker at the center thereof than at the edges, as is illustrated in Fig. 5. Although, if desired, it can be made oiuniform thickness.

At the extremities of the body or web portion II are caster-receiving portions l2 formed integrally therewith and which have pockets I3 therein bounded by walls l4 generally triangular in cross-section and tapering out to the relatively thin exposed edges I5, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. If desired, a bead l6 may be formed on the mat in spaced relation to the pockets 13, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these beads preferably fading out at l6 to permit forming of the relatively thin exposed edges l along the sides and end of the portion I2, as is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The pockets l3 are formed to receive casters 1 the caster is spaced slightly from the bottom of the pocket I3. Due to the weight of the machine the casters will settle into the pockets so that the walls I4 will firmly grip the casters to prevent any movement of the machine relative to the mat. There is, however, some difference in the spacing of the legs on various makes of machines and I, therefore, prefer to elongate the pockets l3, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to accommodate the different makes and sizes of machines. If desired, I may reinforce the mat with suitable reinforcing strips l8 which may be of woven material or sheets of metal to thus maintain longer life of the mat where the casters contact therewith.

In moving the Washing machine or other household device on to the mat, one of the casters I! can be moved into the pocket l3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, which caster can then be used as a pivot and the remaining casters rolled over the thin exposed edges l5 of the mat on to the walls M of the pocket and then into the pocket l3. When in this position, the Weight of the machine on the mat will be sufficient to cause the mat to grip against the floor and not slip or slide relative thereto and as the casters will not readily move out of the pockets, the machine is, therefore, maintained against creeping or moving along the floor from the predetermined set position.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a mat suitable for use with a washing machine having four legs and in Fig. 2, I have shown a mat suitable for use with such a machine having three legs. It, of course, will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that the mat can be made in various shapes and sizes to accommodate machines having any number of legs or spaced in any relation to each other and thus my invention is not limited to the specific forms shown.

In Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, I have shown a mat having the same general characteristics as the mat shown in the preceding figures but which is preferably circular in shape and which has a body portion 20 having a bead 2| extending around the edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 6, which is useful in retaining any water on the mat which may drip from the machine. As illustrated, this mat alsorhas caster-receiving pockets 22 formed with walls 23 generally triangular in cross-section and terminating in a relatively thin edge 24 along the exposed edge face of the mat. Although, in Fig. 6 I have shown a mat suitable for use with a machine having four legs, it will be evident'that a mat for a machine having more or less legs can be provided in the same manner merely by the rearrangement of the pockets.

To better illustrate my invention, Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 have been somewhat distorted to show a greater thickness of material than would probably be used in mats made by quantity production methods. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not limited to the proportions shown as such mats may be made relatively thin if so desired or relatively thick if it is desired to use a soft spongy rubber. It will also be recognized that in addition to providing a mat which will prevent creeping of the machine on the floor, that the same provides an insulator against electric shocks. It will also be understood that the shape and design of the body portion of the mat can be modified to provide many different shapes.

While I have shown mats suitable for use with washing machines and other household devices having three and four legs, my invention is not to be limited to the structures shown but entirely by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A mat for stabilizing a caster supported machine comprising a body of resilient material having a plurality of caster supporting portions, each caster supporting portion comprising a ridge surrounding a caster receiving depression and sloped from the top thereof to the edge of said caster supporting portion to provide an inclined plane up which a caster may be rolled into said depression, the material of said mat being cut away between said caster receiving portions to render said inclined planes accessible to said casters around the major part of the circumference of said depressions.

2. A mat for stabilizing a caster supported machine comprising a body of resilient material having a plurality of caster supporting portions each comprising a ridge of triangular crosssection surrounding a caster receiving depression, said depressions being elongated along respective lines radiating from the center of said mat to accommodate said mat to machines of varying dimensions.

3. A mat for stabilizing a caster supported machine comprising, a body of resilient material having elongated caster supporting portions therein, each comprising a ridge of, triangular cross-section at each side of a caster receiving depression, the width of the bases of said ridges being at least twice the heighth of said ridges to provide relatively long sloping side walls'on each side of said ridges whereby the casters can be easily rolled into and out of said depressions.

JAMES A. BEARD, JR. 

